Next stop of our trip – Melbourne to visit our very good friends Rafa and Ana and their amazing children.
Valen and Carlos immediately bonded with their friends and have spent a great time playing with their newly found playmates. Rafa, Ana and Ana’s mum have been incredible hosts and we really felt at home. It was really good to see each other after these years – although we had remained in touch, we last saw each other when both families were living in London, before they moved to Hong Kong.
We left Melbourne to do the Great Ocean Road, a scenic trip around the coast line.
It is a five hour drive from Melbourne to 12 Apostles via the Great Ocean Road, but give yourself two or more days! We drove on via Torquay where you must try the waves at Bells Beach only a few kms out of town or walk the famous beach and home of the Rip Curl Pro Easter Classic.
Torquay is the beginning of The Great Ocean Road and from here it was whale watching, dolphin sightings, and the experience of driving along the actual road built between the cliff face and the sea by returned World War I men whose efforts are commemorated at Eastern View. They really deserve a moment of silence and gratitude for their incredibly hard physical work digging by hand out of the rock face.
We then continued to Anglesea, where we visited the Anglesea Golf Links, where one can see kangaroos grazing grass in the middle of the golf courses.
Anglesea to Lorne is only an hour away. Time to wander and find accommodation if you wish or continue on for another hour to Apollo Bay, stopping to sight koalas if you turn off at Kennett River and up Grey River Road where they are plentiful if you take the time to look in the trees – not to forget kangaroos grazing along the road, particularly early morning or late afternoon. We had a great time there, and also played with the exotic birds that came to greet us at the outside of the Koala Cafe.
Apollo Bay has great eateries, coffee shops and perfect for another overnight. Take a side trip to Cape Otway on the way to the Twelve Apostles and the Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, Triplet Falls and walks, plus coffee stops and you won’t want to leave the area.
The Twelve Apostles are an hour and fifteen minutes away (from Apollo Bay) and are a wonder to experience.
Three km west of Apollo Bay is the Marengo Marine Sanctuary, one could see seals from the beach and I believe kayak tours are available. Of course the Twelve Apostles didn’t let us down. A beautiful walk along the cliff, plenty of pics and we were again in awe of this special part of the coast.
One can find valuable life lessons in the least expected places…..such us these that we found at Gibbson steps – a great deal to think about and discuss with the children…..not only in the Valley people think BIG!
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” ― Gustave Flaubert